“Zhong Wanqiu, you said this yourself. Don’t go telling Axuan later that I forced you.”
“I won’t.” Stumbling as she turned, Zhong Wanqiu had no choice but to leave in a hurry.
She had initially come to settle scores with Xia Jingxuan, but now she felt a confusing mix of guilt and frustration, making her feel even more lost and disconnected from herself. What rotten luck Zhong Wanqiu felt like, even drinking plain water would get stuck in her teeth these days.
Like a wandering soul, she returned to the dormitory and collapsed onto her bed. She didn’t want to attend classes anymore. Pulling the blanket over her head, she said, “Xiaojing, please ask for leave on my behalf this afternoon.”
“Zhong Wanqiu, what’s wrong with you? Those rumors people are spreading, they can’t be true, can they?”
She didn’t know, had no idea at all. Her head was throbbing now. Ah, she still hadn’t called Liang Shuzhen to confirm things. Although she felt confirmation would be useless knowing Liang Shuzhen as she did, that fifty thousand yuan was probably real.
“Zhong Wanqiu, why aren’t you saying anything? Are you really two-timing? I don’t believe it. I never heard you mention anything about that Cold Young Master before.”
“Stop it! I’m not, I’m not!” she shouted, her voice trembling, on the verge of breaking down. She quickly dialed Liang Shuzhen’s number, feeling exposed and fragile, needing reassurance amid her rising panic.
“Zhong Wanqiu, are you okay?” Xiaojing was truly her good friend, growing worried upon seeing her in this state.
“I’m fine. I’m going to see my mom. I knew absolutely nothing about that fifty thousand yuan.” Irritated, she doubted anyone in the world could be more unlucky than her.
“Your mom came looking for you last night but couldn’t find you. She called your phone, but no one answered. Eventually she left who would’ve thought she’d end up going to Xia Jingxuan?”
Zhong Wanqiu’s head began buzzing. Last night, she had turned off her phone because she genuinely didn’t want to hear Xia Jingxuan’s voice. Last night had been too chaotic, clearly a calamity in her life.
This wasn’t her first visit to the Bai residence, but each time, an uneasy feeling crept in. Her mother, who had worked as a housekeeper for the Bai family for four years, demanded she attend T University, yet Zhong Wanqiu sensed there was more beneath the surface, a secret she couldn’t uncover but felt deeply involved in.
The villa district in the city center featured standalone houses with private courtyards, each with a garden filled with blooming lavender, its translucent purple hue making her pause and gaze every time she visited. She loved this lavender so much, especially in large patches, it looked terrific.
“Miss Zhong, you’re here.” The security guard was the same as before, recognizing her immediately.
“Is my mother here?”
“Yes.” The side gate opened, and Zhong Wanqiu stepped inside.
She walked straight toward the servants’ quarters. The Bai family’s servants’ rooms were cleaner, tidier, and even more beautiful than rental apartments outside.
Outside the servants’ room window stood a small grape arbor, its emerald leaves sheltering clusters of unripe green grapes that already seemed to exude a sugary sweetness, tempting her to reach out. ‘Zhong Wanqiu, what are you doing here?’ A haughty female voice accompanied its owner’s scrutinizing gaze directed at Zhong Wanqiu.
It was Bai Hui.
Zhong Wanqiu ignored her completely, striding directly to her mother’s door. But just as her fingers were about to knock, faint feminine moans emerged from the slightly ajar room. The sounds forced her to freeze before the doorway, her hand unable to complete its descent.
“Shameless. Your mother came to seduce the old master, and now you’re here to seduce the Bai family’s young master, aren’t you?” Crossing her arms, Bai Hui looked disdainfully at Zhong Wanqiu.